Robert Wayne Northup

1924 - 2017

Robert Wayne Northup

Chapel Hill

Robert Wayne Northup, formerly of Montclair, NJ, and more recently of Chapel Hill, NC, passed away on Christmas Day, December 25, 2017. He was 93 years old.

Robert (Bob) was born in Denver, Colorado and was the third of five children. He graduated from Hastings College and McCormick Seminary. After being ordained as a Presbyterian minister, he earned his PhD in New Testament at Yale Divinity School. He served as a missionary in Japan with his wife Shio and four children which included teaching at Tohoku Gakuin (University). Upon returning to the U.S he was on faculty at St. Andrews College, American University and New York Theological Seminary. But he spent most of his career working with the National Council of Churches and the Japan North American Commission on Cooperative Mission coordinating mission work in Japan and Asia. He also served as an Associate Pastor at Central Presbyterian Church in Montclair.

Throughout his lifetime, Bob was a dedicated scholar and pursued an eclectic range of interests. He was an amateur archaeologist and participated in two major expeditions in Israel. He also had a special interest in the art of Japanese floral arrangements and spoke seven languages, including Japanese, Hebrew, Greek, among others.

Bob took great pride and joy in his wife, Shio, and his four children, Chris, Robin, George and Marie. He is survived by his wife Shio of 65 years, and children, Chris (Amy) Northup, George (Catherine) Northup and Marie Northup-Falcone (Richard) and by his grandchildren, Amanda and Kelsey Northup. Emily and Andre Conn and George Robert Northup. He is also survived by his two younger brothers, James and Harry Northup. He was pre-deceased by his daughter Robin Conn (Bill), his brother George Northup and sister, Dorothy Gay.

He lived a long and rich life. While he was soft spoken in everything, he always met every challenge in life with courage, vigor and a belief in the divine.

A memorial service to celebrate Bob's life will be held on Saturday, January 13, 2018 at 2 p.m. at Carolina Meadows, 100 Carolina Meadows, Chapel Hill, NC in the Lecture Hall. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donating to McCormick Theological Seminary or Yale Divinity School.

The family would like to thank the staff at Carolina Meadows for their care of and kindness towards Bob, and to the CCU staff at UNC Hillsborough Hospital, Hillcrest-Raleigh, Pines and UNC Hospice for their care of Bob during his recent illness.

Condolences may be shared with the family at Cremation SocietyNC.com